U.S. patent application number 14/566420 was filed with the patent office on 2015-06-11 for apparatus, systems, and methods for downhole fluid filtration.
This patent application is currently assigned to NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.. The applicant listed for this patent is NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.. Invention is credited to Robert Eugene Mebane, III, Mark E. Wolf.
Application Number | 20150159472 14/566420 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52302336 |
Filed Date | 2015-06-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150159472 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wolf; Mark E. ; et
al. |
June 11, 2015 |
Apparatus, Systems, and Methods for Downhole Fluid Filtration
Abstract
A fluid production system for downhole fluid purification
includes a filtering assembly to be positioned within a wellbore.
The filtering assembly has a fluid filter and a first pump
closely-coupled to the filter. In addition, the system includes an
extension shaft extending from the first pump to a source of
rotational power positioned adjacent the surface of the earth.
Inventors: |
Wolf; Mark E.; (Katy,
TX) ; Mebane, III; Robert Eugene; (Austin,
TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P. |
Houston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO,
L.P.
Houston
TX
|
Family ID: |
52302336 |
Appl. No.: |
14/566420 |
Filed: |
December 10, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61914225 |
Dec 10, 2013 |
|
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62055035 |
Sep 25, 2014 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
166/313 ;
166/105.1; 166/369; 166/52; 166/66.4; 166/68 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 43/20 20130101;
E21B 43/385 20130101; E21B 43/128 20130101; C02F 1/441 20130101;
E21B 43/08 20130101; E21B 43/126 20130101; B01D 61/025 20130101;
Y02W 10/37 20150501 |
International
Class: |
E21B 43/08 20060101
E21B043/08; E21B 43/12 20060101 E21B043/12 |
Claims
1. A fluid production system for downhole fluid purification, the
system comprising: a filtering assembly configured to be disposed
within a wellbore and having: a filter comprising a fluid inlet, a
permeate outlet, and a concentrated fluid outlet; and a first pump
closely-coupled to the filter for fluid communication, the first
pump having a suction port and a discharge port; and an extension
shaft extending from the first pump to a source of rotational power
disposed adjacent the surface of the earth.
2. The fluid production system of claim 1 wherein the filter
includes a reverse osmosis, membrane.
3. The fluid production system of claim 1 wherein the filtering
assembly further comprises a second pump having a suction port
closely-coupled to the concentrated fluid outlet of the filter for
fluid communication.
4. The fluid production system of claim 3 wherein the source of
rotational power for the first pump comprises a first motor coupled
to the extension shaft and electrically coupled to a first motor
controller; wherein the second pump includes a submersible
electrical motor electrically coupled to a second motor
controller;
5. The fluid production system of claim 4 wherein the first and
second pumps are configured to have a constant pumping ratio.
6. The fluid production system of claim 3 wherein the first and
second pumps are configured to have a constant pumping ratio.
7. The fluid production system of claim 6 wherein the first
together by an interconnecting shaft, configuring the two pumps to
operate at a same rotational speed.
8. The fluid production system of claim 3 wherein the suction port
of the first pump is closely-coupled to the permeate outlet of the
filter for fluid communication.
9. The fluid production system of claim 8 further comprising a
production tubing having a first end and a tubing permeate
discharge port displaced from the first end; wherein the first end
is configured to couple to the discharge port of the first pump of
the filtering assembly for fluid communication; wherein distance
between the first end and the tubing permeate discharge port is
less than a selected depth for the filtering assembly, configuring
the tubing permeate discharge port to be subterranean.
10. The fluid production system of claim 3 wherein the second pump
is configured to be driven by a fluid pressure differential between
two or more earthen zones that fluidically communicate with the
wellbore, recovering energy from the fluid pressure
differential.
11. A method for reducing the amount of dissolved constituents
contained in a fluid, the method comprising: having a filtering
assembly disposed in a first wellbore; wherein the filtering
assembly comprises a membrane filter, a first pump closely-coupled
to a first port of the filter, and a second pump closely-coupled to
a concentrated fluid outlet of the filter; operating the first pump
to move a fluid from a fluid supply zone of the earth through the
filtering assembly to remove unwanted constituents, producing a
purified permeate stream; producing a concentrated fluid stream
that exits the filtering assembly; operating the second pump to
achieve a constant ratio between the flow rate of the permeate
stream and the concentrated fluid stream; and disposing of the
concentrated fluid stream in a selected discharge zone within the
earth.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising: maintaining a
constant ratio between the flow rate of the permeate stream and the
flow rate of the concentrated fluid stream.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising: selecting the
discharge zone to be a zone that is in fluid communication with a
hydrocarbon production zone of a second wellbore.
14. The method of claim 11 further comprising: delivering at least
a portion of the permeate stream to a selected permeable storage
zone in the earth.
15. A fluid production system to desalinate water from a
subterranean source, the fluid production system comprising: a
filtering assembly configured for installation within a first
wellbore, the filtering assembly comprising: a membrane filter
comprising a fluid inlet, a permeate outlet, and a concentrated
fluid outlet; a first pump having a discharge port and a suction
port, the suction port coupled to the permeate outlet for fluid
communication; and a second pump having a suction port coupled to
the concentrated fluid outlet for fluid communication.
16. The fluid production system of claim 15 further comprising: an
extension shaft extending from the first pump toward the surface of
the earth; a first motor disposed adjacent the surface of the earth
and coupled to the extension shaft; and a first motor controller
electrically coupled to the first motor; wherein the second pump
includes a submersible electrical motor electrically coupled to a
second motor controller.
17. The fluid production system of claim 15 wherein the first and
second pumps are positive displacement pumps, the filtering
assembly further comprising: an interconnecting shaft coupling
together the two pumps, configuring the two pumps to operate at a
same rotational speed and to achieve a constant pumping ratio.
18. The fluid production system of claim 15 further comprising: a
motor coupled to at least one of the two pumps; and a motor
controller electrically coupled to the motor; wherein the motor
controller is configured to achieve a constant pumping ratio for
the first and second pumps.
19. The fluid production system of claim 15 further comprising: a
production tubing having a first end and a tubing permeate
discharge port displaced from the first end; wherein the first end
is configured to couple the discharge port of the first pump for
fluid communication therebetween; a first packing member coupled to
the membrane filter and having a flow passage in fluid
communication with the second pump and the concentrated fluid
outlet of the filter; a second packing member configured to seal
between the production tubing and the first wellbore; a third
packing member displaced from the second packing member and
configured to seal the first wellbore; wherein the second packing
member is disposed between the first and third packing members; and
wherein the tubing permeate discharge port is disposed between the
second packing member and the third packing member, configuring the
tubing permeate discharge port to be subterranean.
20. The fluid production system of claim 15 further comprising a
first wellbore having a wellbore axis and extending into a
permeable fluid supply zone in the earth and extending into a
permeable fluid discharge zone in the earth axially displaced from
the supply zone; a production tubing coupled for fluid
communication with the discharge port of the first pump and
extending axially toward the surface of the earth; and a packing
member coupled to the membrane filter and sealingly disposed in the
wellbore between the fluid supply zone and the fluid discharge
zone; wherein the filtering assembly is disposed within the first
wellbore; wherein the fluid inlet of the filter is in fluid
communication with the fluid supply zone; wherein the concentrated
fluid outlet of the filter is in fluid communication with the fluid
discharge zone.
21. The fluid production system of claim 20 wherein the first
wellbore also extends into a third permeable zone suitable for
storing a fluid from the permeate outlet; wherein the production
tubing includes a tubing permeate discharge port in fluid
communication with the third permeable zone.
22. The fluid production system of claim 20 further comprising a
second, production wellbore extending to a hydrocarbon production
zone within the earth; wherein the production zone is in fluid
communication with the fluid discharge zone.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent
application Ser. No. 61/914,225 filed Dec. 10, 2013, and entitled
"Apparatus, Systems, and Methods for Downhole Fluid Filtration,"
which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety
for all purposes. This application also claims benefit of U.S.
provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/055,035 filed Sep. 25,
2014, and entitled "Apparatus, Systems, and Methods for Downhole
Fluid Filtration," which is hereby incorporated herein by reference
in its entirety for all purposes.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND
[0003] This disclosure relates generally to improving the purity of
water. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus and system for
the purification of or desalination of water from underground.
Still more particularly, this disclosure relates to a filtration
apparatus and system that may be used to recover and purify water
from a borehole in the earth.
[0004] Various types of filters can be employed to improve the
quality of water taken from zones within the earth by removing
suspended or dissolved substances from the water. For example,
reverse osmosis (RO) membrane technology, is used to remove salt
from brackish and saline water sources to produce fresh, purified
water. The RO process requires high pressure pumping which consumes
significant levels of energy. The RO process concentrates the salts
from the feed water source into a more-concentrated stream that
requires disposal. In a typical system, the pressure of
saline/brackish feed water is boosted through a high pressure pump
and delivered to a filter having an RO membrane. The pump increases
the feed water pressure such that the forward pressure across the
RO membrane exceeds the natural reverse osmotic pressure across the
membrane. The reverse osmotic pressure is caused by the difference
in salt concentration between a saline water on one side of the RO
membrane and fresh water on the other side of the RO membrane. The
reverse osmotic pressure acts to compel fresh water to go (or
return) to the feed water side. However, when a pump is used to
pressurize and feed the saline water to the membrane, the elevated
pressure from the pump causes water molecules to pass through the
membrane in opposition to reverse osmotic pressure and to arrive as
permeate on the low pressure, fresh water side of the membrane. In
this process salt molecules are retained on the high pressure side
of the membrane along with a portion of the feed water, developing
a concentrated reject stream that exits a concentrated fluid outlet
of the filter. A pressure control device, such as a back-pressure
regulator or back-pressure regulating valve, is coupled to the
concentrated fluid outlet of the filter to allow the pump to
develop pressure and to govern, or at least to influence, the flow
rate from the concentrated fluid outlet. In this manner, the
back-pressure regulator influences the recovery ratio, which is the
ratio of the rate of recovery of permeate or purified water from
the filter to the rate of supply of feed water to the filter.
[0005] For an oil well producing hydrocarbons, enhanced oil
recovery can be achieved in some instances by injecting water into
a second well or borehole generally near the producing oil well.
The water is injected into the production zone or a zone that
fluidically communicates with the production zone to increase the
pore pressure in the production zone and cause an increased flow of
hydrocarbons into the oil well.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0006] These and other needs in the art are addressed in one
embodiment by a fluid production system for downhole fluid
purification. In an embodiment, the system includes a filtering
assembly configured to be disposed within a wellbore and having: a
filter comprising a fluid inlet, a permeate outlet, and a
concentrated fluid outlet; and having a first pump closely-coupled
to the filter for fluid communication. The first pump includes a
suction port and a discharge port. In addition, the system includes
an extension shaft extending from the first pump to a source of
rotational power disposed adjacent the surface of the earth.
[0007] In addition a method for reducing the amount of dissolved
constituents contained in a fluid is disclosed. In an embodiment,
the method includes (a) having a filtering assembly disposed in a
first wellbore; wherein the filtering assembly comprises a membrane
filter, a first pump closely-coupled to a first port of the filter,
and a second pump closely-coupled to a concentrated fluid outlet of
the filter. In addition, the method includes operating the first
pump to move a fluid from a fluid supply zone of the earth through
the filtering assembly to remove unwanted constituents, producing a
purified permeate stream. Further, the method includes producing a
concentrated fluid stream that exits the filtering assembly. Still
further, the method includes operating the second pump to achieve a
constant ratio between the flow rate of the permeate stream and the
concentrated fluid stream, and disposing of the concentrated fluid
stream in a selected discharge zone within the earth.
[0008] In an embodiment, a fluid production system to desalinate
water from a subterranean source includes a filtering assembly
configured for installation within a first wellbore. The filtering
assembly includes a membrane filter comprising a fluid inlet, a
permeate outlet, and a concentrated fluid outlet. In addition, the
filtering assembly includes a first pump having a discharge port
and a suction port, the suction port coupled to the permeate outlet
for fluid communication; and a second pump having a suction port
coupled to the concentrated fluid outlet for fluid
communication.
[0009] Thus, embodiments described herein include a combination of
features and characteristics intended to address various
shortcomings associated with certain prior devices, systems, and
methods. The various features and characteristics described above,
as well as others, will be readily apparent to those of ordinary
skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description,
and by referring to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] For a detailed description of the disclosed embodiments,
reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in
which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a front view in partial cross-section of an
embodiment of a fluid production system having a filtering or
desalination assembly disposed in a wellbore and capable of
reducing the saline content of water in accordance with principles
described herein;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional front view of the filtering or
desalination assembly of FIG. 1 in accordance with principles
described herein;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing a method for reducing the
amount of dissolved constituents contained in a fluid in accordance
with principles disclosed herein; and
[0014] FIG. 4 is a front view in partial cross-section of another
embodiment of a fluid production system disposed in a wellbore. The
system is capable of reducing the saline content of water and
capable of providing enhanced oil recovery for a nearby producing
well in accordance with principles described herein.
NOTATION AND NOMENCLATURE
[0015] The following description is exemplary of certain
embodiments of the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art
will understand that the following description has broad
application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant to be
exemplary of that embodiment, and is not intended to suggest in any
way that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is
limited to that embodiment.
[0016] The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain
features and components disclosed herein may be shown exaggerated
in scale or in somewhat schematic form, and some details of
conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity
and conciseness. In some of the figures, in order to improve
clarity and conciseness of the figure, one or more components or
aspects of a component may be omitted or may not have reference
numerals identifying the features or components that are identified
elsewhere. In addition, within the specification, including the
drawings, like or identical reference numerals may be used to
identify common or similar elements.
[0017] The terms "including" and "comprising" are used herein,
including in the claims, in an open-ended fashion, and thus should
be interpreted to mean "including, but not limited to . . . ."
Also, the term "couple" or "couples" means either an indirect or
direct connection. Thus, if a first component couples or is coupled
to a second component, the connection between the components may be
through a direct engagement of the two components, or through an
indirect connection that is accomplished via other intermediate
components, devices and/or connections. The recitation "based on"
means "based at least in part on." Therefore, if X is based on Y, X
may be based on Y and any number of other factors.
[0018] In addition, as used herein, including the claims, the terms
"axial" and "axially" generally mean along or parallel to a given
axis, while the terms "radial" and "radially" generally mean
perpendicular to the axis. For instance, an axial distance refers
to a distance measured along or parallel to a given axis, and a
radial distance means a distance measured perpendicular to the
axis.
[0019] Furthermore, any reference to a relative direction or
relative position in the description and the claims will be made
for purpose of clarification, with examples including "top,"
"bottom," "up," "upward," "left," "leftward," "down," "lower,"
"clock-wise," and the like. For example, a relative direction or a
relative position of an object or feature pertains to the
orientation as shown in a figure or as described. If the object
were viewed from another orientation, it may be appropriate to
describe the direction or position using an alternate term. In
regard to a borehole or a wellbore, "up," "upper," "upwardly" or
"upstream" mean toward the surface of the borehole and "down,"
"lower," "downwardly," or "downstream" mean toward the terminal end
of the wellbore, regardless of the wellbore orientation.
[0020] As used herein, including the claims, the terms pure,
purification, purify, and similar terms shall refer to the removal
of a portion or the entirety of at least one unwanted constituent
from a source fluid to produce a product fluid having less of the
constituent. In some situations, the unwanted constituent is
present or detectable within a "purified" product fluid; while in
other situations, the unwanted constituent is absent or
undetectable in a "purified" product fluid. The unwanted
constituent may be, for example, dissolved salt or undissolved
particles. The purified product fluid may have another unwanted
constituent that is present in the same concentration as it is in
the source fluid.
[0021] As used herein, including the claims, the term
"closely-coupled" is used to indicate that two features are coupled
together and are disposed within 50 feet of one another. Within the
scope of this disclosure, at least some of the pairs of features
that are described herein as being closely-coupled will have, for
some embodiments, one of the following relationships: the two
features overlap each other, the two features abut or touch each
other; the two features are adjacent each other; or the two
features are directly attached to each other--since these
relationships exist within a distance of 50 feet.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] Herein are disclosed various embodiments of a fluid
production system configured for purifying a fluid, for example,
brackish water from a wellbore in the earth. In an embodiment, the
fluid production system includes a filtering or desalination
assembly having membrane filtration technology configured to be
positioned downhole in fluid communication with a fluid supply zone
and having a fluid inlet, a permeate outlet, and a concentrated
fluid outlet. In some embodiments, the desalination assembly also
includes two pumps. One of the pumps is coupled to the permeate
outlet to drive purified or processed water to an intended
location, such as up and out of the well or to a storage zone in
the earth. The other pump is coupled to the concentrated fluid
outlet to drive the concentrated fluid to a discharge fluid zone in
the earth. In an embodiment, the two pumps are configured to
maintain a constant pumping ratio relative to one another. In some
embodiments, the pumping ratio is adjustable, being constant for a
selectable period of time or a selectable set of circumstances.
Some embodiments of a fluid production system disclosed herein are
installed in a first borehole adjacent a second borehole and
participate in enhanced oil recovery.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, a fluid production system 50 that
removes unwanted constituents from an available fluid is shown. The
fluid production system 50 is positioned in a borehole or wellbore
52 extending from the surface of earth 54 downward to the vicinity
of a fluid supply zone 56, which may be a source of feed water, and
toward a fluid discharge zone 58. Fluid production system 50 is
capable of reducing the mineral content, e.g. reducing the
salinity, of water received from supply zone 56. The water received
from supply zone 56 will be called feed stream or feed water 103,
and may be characterized as saline water, brackish water,
contaminated water, impure water, or non-potable water, any of
these potentially having an unwanted constituent that may be
dissolved, suspended, or otherwise entrained in the feed water 103.
Thus, in FIG. 1, fluid production system 50 is configured or
disposed to receive subterranean water as the feed stream 103 and
may also be called a water production system. Wellbore 52 includes
a longitudinal axis 53 generally aligned with the center of
wellbore 53 through the length of wellbore 53. Though shown as
vertical, in general, wellbore 52 and wellbore axis 53 may have
generally vertical portions or generally horizontal portions and
may have curved portions between various portions. At least in this
instance, discharge zone 58 is located at a lower elevation than
supply zone 56. A tubular casing 60, which may be a metal pipe for
example, is positioned and cemented in wellbore 52. Casing 60 has a
first set of perforations 62 at a location corresponding to supply
zone 56 and a second set of perforations 64 at a location
corresponding to discharge zone 58. Perforations 62, 64 provide
fluid communication between the central channel of casing 60 and
zones 56, 58, respectively.
[0024] Water production system 50 includes a production tubing 70,
an extension shaft 75 extending from outside wellbore 52 into
production tubing 70, surface equipment 80 disposed above or
adjacent the surface of the earth 54, and a filtering assembly,
which in this embodiment is a desalting or desalination assembly
100. Desalination assembly 100 is sealingly coupled to the lower
ends of production tubing 70 and extension shaft 75 and is
positioned within casing 60 and wellbore 52 at a selected depth
below the earth's surface. Production tubing 70 includes a lower
end 71 within casing 60 and wellbore 52, an upper end 73 that may
extend above the earth's surface. Upper end 73 terminates at a
permeate discharge port 72. Discharge port 72 is routed to a
convenient location to release a stream 105 of processed or cleaned
water, which will also be called the permeate stream 105. Surface
equipment 80 includes a source of rotational power, which is motor
82, shaft bearing 84, and other equipment known in the art. Shaft
75 may also be called a rod string and is coupled between
desalination assembly 100 and motor 82 to transmit rotational
power. In FIG. 1, motor 82 is positioned outside the production
tubing 70 and outside the wellbore 52, and the fluid-tight shaft
bearing 84 allows shaft 75 to extend into production tubing 70
without loss of fluid. In FIG. 1, the upper portion of production
tubing 70 including permeate discharge port 72 may be considered a
part of the surface equipment 80.
[0025] The filtering assembly, i.e. desalination assembly 100,
includes three fluid ports: an annular feed water inlet 102 located
towards the upper end of assembly 100, a processed water outlet or
permeate outlet 104 located at the upper end of assembly 100, and
concentrated fluid outlet 106 located at the lower end of assembly
100. Water production system 50 is configured to take feed water
103 coming from supply zone 56, to purify a portion of the feed
water 103 as processed water or permeate 105, to deliver the
processed permeate above the surface of the earth, and to deliver a
concentrated fluid stream 107 to discharge zone 58. Within casing
60, desalination assembly 100 isolates the feed water 103 from the
concentrated fluid stream 107.
[0026] In some embodiments, wellbore 52 and casing 60 are
considered to be elements of water production system 50. In some
instances or some embodiments, casing 60 or cement is absent from
at least a portion of wellbore 52. For example, in some instances,
a water production system 50 is installed for operation in a
wellbore having no casing and no cement in the vicinity of the
water production system, the fluid supply zone, or the discharge
zone.
[0027] Referring now to FIG. 2, the desalination assembly 100
includes a filter 110, two pumps 150, 160 closely-coupled to ports
at either end of filter 110 for fluid communication, a discharge
coupler 170 disposed between filter 110 and the pump 160, an
interconnecting shaft 180 extending through the center of filter
110 to pumps 150, 160, and a packing member 190 to separate and
seal two fluid zones within wellbore 52 or casing 60 and to
stabilize the position of assembly 100. A fluid supply zone 65
within wellbore 52 or casing 60 is disposed above packing member
190 and may be in fluid communication with supply zone 56 and may
be designated as being part of supply zone 56. A fluid discharge
zone 66 within wellbore 52 or casing 60 is disposed below packing
member 190 and is in fluid communication with discharge zone 58 and
may be designated as part of zone 58.
[0028] In this embodiment, filter 110 is membrane filter unit,
having a membrane 135 through which a purified portion of a feed
stream may pass. Overall, filter 110 is elongated and generally
cylindrical. More specifically, for this embodiment, membrane 135
is a spiral wound reverse osmosis (RO) membrane. Thus, filter 110
in FIG. 1 may also be called a reverse osmosis filter. Some
embodiments of desalination assembly 100 include additional one or
more different filters or filtration elements fluidically coupled
in series with filter 110.
[0029] Interconnecting shaft 180 couples the drive shafts of pumps
150, 160 for simultaneous rotation, and extension shaft 75 couples
the drive shafts of the two pumps to a source of rotational power,
which is shown as a single source and that being motor 82 (FIG. 1).
In this embodiment, the pumps 150, 160 are positive displacement
pumps, and are, more specifically, progressive cavity pumps. Pumps
150, 160 are configured to rotate in the same direction 182 and at
the same operation speed by means of interconnecting shaft 180 but
configured to pump fluid in opposite directions from filter 110.
The direction of rotation 182 may be selected and established to be
clockwise or counter-clockwise, as viewed from the earth's surface,
depending on the design of pumps 150, 160. In some embodiments,
pumps 150, 160 are reciprocating pumps or another suitable type of
positive displacement pump, which may include, for example, a gear
pump or a rotary lobe pump. Being positive displacement pumps, each
pump 150, 160 has a prescribed discharge-volume-per-cycle
characteristic. Because pumps 150, 160 are positive displacement
pumps and are coupled by an interconnecting shaft 180, pumps 150,
160 are configured to operate with constant pumping ratio and, more
specifically, a fixed pumping ratio. "Fixed pumping ratio" means
that the ratio of the permeate stream 105 flow rate to the
concentrated fluid stream 107 flow rate is prescribed by the
arrangement of the equipment to be constant and unchanging unless
the arrangement of the equipment is changed, e.g. a pump 150, 160
is swapped for another pump. Therefore, during normal operation,
the percent of the feed water 103 passing through permeate pump 150
is constant, and the percent of the feed water 103 passing through
concentrated fluid pump 160 is also constant. The percent of the
feed water 103 passing through pump 160 as concentrated fluid
stream 107 is set or established to be sufficiently high to avoid
contamination of the membrane 135.
[0030] In general, reverse osmosis filter 110 includes a generally
centralized, longitudinal axis 111, a first or upper end 112, a
second or lower end 114 opposite upper end 112 along axis 111, a
tubular outer casing 115 extending axially between ends 112, 114,
an inner tubing 120 also extending axially between ends 112, 114,
the spiral-wound reverse osmosis membrane 135 disposed between
inner tubing 120 and outer casing 115, and a plurality of fluid
ports. RO membrane 135 may include, for example, two RO membrane
sheets bonded together to form a first flow channel or an
interconnected series of flow pathways between them. When wound in
a spiral pattern, a second flow channel is created by the outer
surfaces of the RO membrane sheets. Reverse osmosis filter 110 may
be fabricated according to conventional designs or may be specially
made for the particular application.
[0031] The inner tubing 120 of filter 110 is concentrically aligned
with axis 111 and includes a first or upper end 122 at filter upper
end 112, a second or lower end 123 at filter lower end 114, a
permeable wall portion 124 located within outer casing 115 and
surrounded by RO membrane 135, a central flow channel 126, and an
end cap 128 sealingly coupled to lower end 123. A through-hole 129
aligned with axis 111 extends through end cap 128 and sealingly
receives interconnecting shaft 180. In FIG. 2, upper end 122 of
tubing 120 extends axially beyond the upper end of outer casing
115, and lower end 123 is generally flush with the lower end of
outer casing 115.
[0032] The fluid ports of filter 110 include an annular feed water
inlet screen 142 located between inner tubing 120 and outer casing
115 at the filter's upper end 112, a processed water or permeate
outlet port 144 located at the upper end 122 of inner tubing 120,
and an annular concentrated fluid outlet screen 146 located between
inner tubing 120 and outer casing 115 at the filter's lower end
114. The filter's inlet screen 142 corresponds to feed water inlet
102 of desalination assembly 100.
[0033] Continuing to reference FIG. 2, permeate pump 150 includes
an inlet or suction port 152 at the lower end of pump 150, a
discharge port 153 at the upper end of pump 150, a rotor 154, and a
stator 156. Suction port 152 closely-couples to upper end 122 of
inner tubing 120 of filter 110, and discharge port 153
closely-couples to the lower end 71 of production tubing 70 for
fluid communication therebetween. In the embodiment, pump suction
port 152 attaches directly to filter 110, and discharge port 153
attaches directly to the tubing lower end 71, with these two direct
couplings each enhanced by a sealing member (not shown). Pump 150
is configured to move fluid axially upward through production
tubing 70 when pump 150 is rotated in the direction 182 by
extension shaft 75, i.e. when rotor 154 is rotated in the direction
182 relative to stator 156.
[0034] Second progressive cavity pump 160 includes an inlet or
suction port 162 at upper end of pump 160, a discharge port 163 at
the lower end of pump 160, rotor 164, and a stator 166. Suction
port 162 closely-couples to discharge coupler 170 and to outlet
screen 146 of filter 110 for fluid communication. In the
embodiment, pump suction port 162 attaches directly to discharge
coupler 170, which may be considered a member of filter 110 to
which it attaches. This direct attachment between suction port 162
and filter 110 is enhanced by a sealing member (not shown). Pump
160 is configured to move the concentrated fluid stream 107 axially
downward toward discharge zone 58 when pump 160 is rotated in the
direction 182 by interconnecting shaft 180, i.e. when rotor 164 is
rotated in the direction 182 relative to stator 166. Thus, pumps
150, 160 rotate in the same direction 182. For this embodiment, the
rotor and stator pair 164, 166 of the concentrated fluid pump 160
are configured to be a mirrored design of rotor and stator pair
154, 156 of the permeate pump 150. For example, if rotor and stator
pair 154, 156 is designed as a right-handed pair, then the rotor
and stator pair 164, 166 is designed as a left-handed pair to
achieve opposite flow directions with respect to wellbore axis
53.
[0035] Discharge coupler 170 fixedly couples the pump 160 to filter
110, providing fluid communication therebetween. Discharge coupler
170 includes a first or upper end 172, a second or lower or
discharge end 173, an annular inlet 174 at upper end 172, a
frustoconical outer shell 175 extending between ends 172, 173, a
coupler shaft 176 extending between ends 172, 173, and a rotary
seal 178 at upper end 172. The described components of discharge
coupler 170 are concentrically aligned along filter axis 111. Upper
end 172 couples to lower end 114 of filter 110, sealing against
outer casing 115. In this manner, annular inlet 174 is positioned
adjacent the concentrated fluid outlet screen 146 for fluid
communication. The lower end 173 of discharge coupler 170 couples
and seals to concentrated fluid pump 160 at suction port 162.
Rotary seal 178 is positioned at upper end 172 and seals against
the end cap 128 of the RO filter inner tubing 120. Coupler shaft
176 couples to rotor 164 of pump 160 at lower end 173. Shaft 176
extends through and is sealed by rotary seal 178, coupling to
interconnecting shaft 180 at lower end 114 of filter 110, as
facilitated by the though-hole 129 in end cap 128. Rotary seal 178
allows shafts 176, 180 to rotate with respect to filter 110 and
outer shell 175 of coupler 170 while inhibiting fluid communication
between central flow channel 126 and the discharge coupler 170.
[0036] Packing member 190 includes an outer packing member 198
circumferentially surrounding a tubular body member 194 having an
axially-extending flow passage 196. Outer packing member 198 is
configured to stabilize the position of desalination assembly 100
against movement, i.e. against vertical translation, horizontal
translation, rotation, or vibration, relative to wellbore 52 or
casing 60. For this purpose outer packing member 198 extends
radially between the outer circumference of body member 194 and the
inner surface of wellbore casing 60. Packing member 190 is
positioned between feed water inlet 102 and concentrated fluid
outlet 106 to separate and seal fluid zones within wellbore casing
60. In the example of FIG. 2, the upper end of body member 194 is
sealingly coupled to the discharge port 163 of pump 160.
[0037] Referring now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the following is an
exemplary mode of operation for water production system 50 and
desalination assembly 100. During operation, feed water 103 from
supply zone 56 enters wellbore casing 60 through the perforations
62, defining a feed water zone within wellbore casing 60 above
packing member 190. The feed water 103 surrounds desalination
assembly 100, communicates with feed water inlet 102, and is drawn
into filter 110 and into RO membrane 135 by the action of pumps
150, 160. A first portion of the feed water 103 passes through the
walls of RO membrane 135, becoming the permeate or processed water
stream and leaving behind at least some salts or other
constituents. The permeate stream 105 continues through the
permeable wall portion 124 and into the central flow channel 126 of
inner tubing 120. The permeate stream 105 is drawn from permeate
outlet port 144 of filter 110 into pump 150 and is discharged from
permeate outlet 104 into production tubing 70, being pushed toward
the surface of the earth. A second portion of the feed water 103
continues through flow channels of membrane 135 without passing
through the walls of membrane 135. The second portion carries along
the salts or other constituents remaining from the now-separated
permeate stream 105. Therefore, this second portion of feed water
103 becomes the concentrated fluid stream 107, which may also be
called the reject stream. The concentrated fluid stream 107 exits
filter 110 through the outlet screen 146, enters discharge coupler
170, and is further drawn into lower pump 160. Pump 160 discharges
the concentrated fluid stream 107 through packing member 190 and
through concentrated fluid outlet 106 at the bottom of member 190,
which is the bottom of desalination assembly 100 in this
embodiment. Packing member 190 separates the feed water zone
located above member 190 from a concentrated fluid zone located
below member 190 within wellbore casing 60. After passing outlet
106, the concentrated fluid stream 107 travels down through casing
60, exits through perforations 64, and enters discharge zone 58
within the earth.
[0038] Referring still to FIG. 1, in at least one mode of
operation, desalination assembly 100 of water production system 50
is driven only by mechanical energy supplied by motor 82 via
extension shaft 75. In a simple embodiment, desalination assembly
100 receives no other energy from surface equipment 80 and does not
purposefully communicate information signals with surface equipment
80. Some other embodiments of assembly 100 include instrumentation
or control equipment that exchange power or data signals with
surface equipment 80. The instrumentation may include, for example,
pressure transducers, pH meters, temperature sensing elements, flow
meters, water quality sensors, or pump operational sensors.
[0039] FIG. 3 shows a method 300 for reducing the amount of
dissolved constituents contained in a fluid in accordance with the
principles described herein. At block 302, method 300 includes
having a filtering assembly disposed in a first wellbore. The
filtering assembly comprises a membrane filter, a first pump
closely-coupled to a first port of the filter for fluid
communication, and a second pump closely-coupled to a concentrated
fluid outlet of the filter for fluid communication. Block 304
includes operating the first pump to move a fluid from a fluid
supply zone of the earth through the filtering assembly to remove
unwanted constituents, producing a purified permeate stream. Block
306 includes producing a concentrated fluid stream that exits the
filtering assembly. Block 308 includes operating the second pump to
achieve a constant ratio between the flow rate of the permeate
stream and the concentrated fluid stream. Block 310 includes
disposing of the concentrated fluid stream in a selected discharge
zone within the earth. Some embodiments of method 300 include
delivering at least a portion of the permeate stream to a selected
permeable storage zone in the earth. Various embodiments of method
300 may include additional operations based on any of the concepts
presented in this specification, including the figures.
[0040] In at least some implementations of method 300 the filter is
a reverse osmosis (RO) filter capable of reducing the salinity of a
fluid stream, the RO filter including a filter inlet port, a
permeate outlet port for water of reduced salinity, and a
concentrated fluid outlet port. The permeate pump includes a pump
inlet sealingling coupled to the permeate outlet, and the
concentrated fluid pump includes a pump inlet sealingling coupled
to the concentrated fluid outlet. In at least some implementations
of method 300, the two pumps are positive displacement pumps and
are coupled to a common drive shaft to rotate simultaneously. As an
example, desalination assembly 100 may be used as the filtering
assembly of method 300. As an example, the operation of method 300
may involve water production system 50. In some instances, the
method may include selecting the discharge zone to be a zone that
is in fluid communication with a hydrocarbon production zone of a
second wellbore.
[0041] Referring now to FIG. 4, a fluid production system 350 that
removes unwanted constituents from a fluid feed stream is shown
positioned in a first borehole or wellbore 352 extending from the
surface of earth 54 through a fluid supply zone 356, which may be a
source of water, and down to or through a discharge zone 358. Fluid
production system 350 also participates in enhanced oil recovery by
proximity to a hydrocarbon production well 360 having a production
wellbore 362 that extends into a hydrocarbon production zone 370
that is in fluid communication with fluid discharge zone 358.In at
least some instances, hydrocarbon production zone 370 is an
extension of discharge zone 358.
[0042] Wellbore 352 also extends through another permeable zone
359, which is suitable for use as a storage zone for permeate, i.e.
cleaner, processed water. Fluid production system 350 is configured
to and capable of removing or at least reducing the mineral
content, e.g. salinity, of feed water 103 received from supply zone
356. Thus, fluid production system 350 may also be called water
production system 350. Wellbore 352 includes a longitudinal axis
353 generally aligned with the center of wellbore 353 through the
length of wellbore 353. Though shown as vertical, in general,
wellbore 352 and wellbore axis 353 may have various portions that
are generally vertical, generally horizontal, or slanted and may
have curved portions between those various portions. In FIG. 4,
discharge zone 358 is located at a lower elevation than supply zone
356, and storage zone 359 is located at a higher elevation than
both of the other zones 356, 358.
[0043] A tubular casing 60, which may be a metal pipe for example,
is positioned and cemented in wellbore 352. Casing 60 has a first
set of perforations 62 at a location corresponding to supply zone
356, a second set of perforations 64 at a location corresponding to
discharge zone 358, and third set of perforations 66 at a location
corresponding to storage zone 359. Perforations 62, 64, 66 provide
fluid communication between the central channel of casing 60 and
zones 356, 358, 359 respectively.
[0044] Continuing to reference FIG. 4, in addition to the second
wellbore 362, hydrocarbon production well 360 includes a pumping
unit 364, a storage tank 366, and a casing 368 extending through
wellbore 362 to isolate zones between the production zone 370 and
the surface of the earth. Wellbore 362 may extend through zones
356, 359, depending on the horizontal extent of these zones. Well
360 is configured for the extraction of a production fluid 369 from
zone 358. For example, casing 368 is perforated in production zone
370. The production fluid 369 may contain hydrocarbons mixed with
water and other substances.
[0045] Like water production system 50, water production system 350
includes a filtering assembly, which in this embodiment is a
desalting or desalination assembly 400 positioned within wellbore
352 at a selected depth below the earth's surface, and system 350
includes a production tubing 70 extending upward from desalination
assembly 400 within the wellbore. Desalination assembly 400
includes a filter 110, two positive displacement pumps 450, 460
closely-coupled to outlets at either end of filter 110, and a
packing member 190 disposed within wellbore casing 60 between fluid
zones 356, 358. Packing member 190 separates and seals two fluid
zones within wellbore 352 or casing 60, separating fluid supply
zone 356 and perforations 62 from fluid communication with
discharge zone 358 and perforations 64. Packing member 190 also
stabilizes the position of unit 400. In an embodiment, membrane
filter 110 is as a reverse osmosis (RO) filter as previously
described. Desalination assembly 400 further includes three fluid
ports: an annular feed water inlet 102 located towards the upper
end of unit 400, a processed water outlet or permeate outlet 104
located at the upper end of assembly 100 corresponding to the
discharge of the pump 450, and a concentrated fluid outlet 106
located at the lower end of unit 400, adjacent packing member 190.
As in water production system 50 so also in system 350, the feed
water inlet 102 corresponds to the inlet screen 142 of filter 110.
Some embodiments of desalination assembly 400 include additional
one or more different filters or filtration elements fluidically
coupled in series with filter 110.
[0046] Pump 450, the upper of the two pumps, is the permeate pump,
having its suction port closely-coupled to the permeate outlet 144
at the upper end of filter 110 for fluid communication and its
discharge port closely-coupled to the lower end 71 of production
tubing 70for fluid communication. In the embodiment, pump 450
attaches directly to filter 110 and directly to production tubing
70, with these two couplings each enhanced by a sealing member (not
shown). Pump 460, the lower of the two pumps is the concentrated
fluid pump, having its suction port closely-coupled to the
concentrated fluid outlet 146 at the lower end of filter 110 for
fluid communication. In the embodiment, pump 460 may be said to be
attached to filter 110 with the attachment possibly including a
discharge coupler 170 and possibly a sealing member, for
example.
[0047] Each pump 450, 460 includes a submersible electrical motor
coupled to a suitable pump mechanism, such as, for example, a
progressive cavity with a rotor and stator similar to pumps 150,
160 or a piston-cylinder combination for reciprocation. In FIG. 4,
the rotational speed of at least pump 450 or pump 460 is variable
by the configuration of pump 450, 460 or by the configuration of a
motor controller. The permeate pump 450 is configured to pull the
purified permeate stream 105 from the processed water port 144 at
the upper end of filter 110 and push it vertically upward with
respect to wellbore axis 353, through a perforations 66 and into
storage zone 359. The suction port of the concentrated fluid pump
460 is coupled to the concentrated fluid outlet 146 at the lower
end of filter 110 and is configured to draw a concentrated fluid
stream 107 from filter 110 and discharge it vertically downward
with respect to wellbore axis 353, through concentrated fluid
outlet 106 and into discharge zone 358.
[0048] As positive displacement pumps, each pump 450, 460 has a
prescribed discharge-volume-per-cycle characteristic. Therefore
pumps 450, 460 are configured to have a constant pumping ratio
relative to one another when they each operate at a constant speed.
However, because pumps 450, 460 are electrically driven and
configured for variable, independently controllable speeds, during
operation, the pumping ratio of the two pumps may be adjusted by a
motor controller. The pumping ratio may be dynamically adjusted, or
the pumping ratio may be set to a selected value, being held
constant for a selectable period of time or set of circumstances
and may later be adjusted. Some other embodiments use positive
displacement pumps 450, 460 configured only for constant speed,
resulting in a fixed pumping ratio. When a constant or fixed
pumping ratio is used, the ratio of the permeate stream 105 flow
rate to the concentrated fluid stream 107 flow rate is steady. In
some embodiments, pump 450 may be a different type or configuration
of pump than is pump 460.
[0049] Water production system 350 also includes a second packing
member 390 disposed in casing 60 between zones 356, 359, a third
packing member 395 disposed in casing 60 above zone 359, and an
electrical cable 375 extending upward from pumps 450, 460, through
packing members 390, 395 to surface equipment 380. The third
packing member 395 is axially closer to the upper end of borehole
352 than is second packing member 390. Packing members 390, 395
seal the third set of perforations 66 and thus storage zone 359
from fluid communication with other sections of casing 60,
including the second set of perforations 64 that fluidically
communicate with supply zone 356. Production tubing 70 extends
through second packing member 390, having its external surface
sealed by packing member 390. Production tubing 70 terminates
between packing members 390, 395, forming a subterranean permeate
discharge port 72 at the upper end of tubing 70 in fluid
communication with the third set of perforations 66 and storage
zone 359. Alternately, production tubing 70 may couple to and
terminate at the lower end of packing member 390, and the upper end
of packing member 390 forms the subterranean permeate discharge
port 72. For either embodiment, packing member 390 seals between
the production tubing 70 and casing 60 or the wellbore 52, locally
preventing the axial flow of fluid through the annular space
between production tubing 70 and casing 60. The distance between
the lower end 71 of production tubing 70 and the permeate discharge
port is less than a selected depth for filtering assembly 400. The
third set of perforations 66 may also be called a subterranean
permeate discharge port for water production system 350. The
permeate discharge port 72 and perforations 66 are in fluid
communication with permeate outlet 104 of desalination assembly 400
and together form a path for delivering processed water, i.e. a
permeate stream 105, to storage zone 359.
[0050] The second packing member 390 stabilizes or holds the
position of production tubing 70 and desalination assembly 400
within casing 60 and wellbore 352. The third packing member 395
seals casing 60 and therefore well bore 52, packing member 395
being configured to prevent fluid communication between the portion
of casing 60 above member 395 and the portion of casing 60 below
member 395. Packing member 395 sealingly receives electrical cable
375 and may stabilize the position of electrical cable 375. Any of
the components of water production system 350, such as packing
members 390, 395, casing 60, and desalination assembly 400 with
packing member 190 may be installed, secured, or removed from
wellbore 352 by any manner known in the art.
[0051] Referring still to FIG. 4, surface equipment 380 includes an
electrical panel box 382 electrically coupled to a power source
384. Power source 384 may be a connection to power lines or an
on-site electrical generator of any type, including a diesel
generator, a solar energy system, a natural gas-fired turbine, or a
fuel cell for example. Panel box 382 may include, for example, a
motor controller module, data acquisition modules, operational
analysis modules, memory modules, communications modules,
diagnostics modules, or other modules and equipment for various
functionalities. In various embodiments, a variable frequency drive
(VFD) may be utilized as the motor controller for the motor of
pumps 450 or for the motor of pump 460. In an embodiment, panel box
382 includes an antenna 386 for wireless communication with
external communication systems, including computer networks or
mobile electronic devices, for example. Electrical cable 375
electrically couples panel box 382 and the drive motors of pumps
450, 460 for transmission of electrical power and data. In various
embodiments, electrical cable 375 includes additional conductors
for data and power communication with various sensors that may be
coupled to other components of desalination assembly 400, such
pressure sensors configured to indicate when filter 110 is fouling
or any of the others sensors mentioned herein.
[0052] During operation of production system 350, feed water 103
from supply zone 356 enters wellbore casing 60 through the
perforations 62 and is drawn into filter 110 by the action of pumps
450, 460, in some situations aided by hydrostatic or pore pressure.
A first portion of the feed water 103 passes through the internal
walls of the RO membrane filter 110, leaving behind at least some
salts or other constituents and becoming the permeate or processed
water stream 105, which is drawn into pump 450 and is sent through
subterranean permeate discharge ports 72, 66 into storage zone 359.
The power usage by pump 450 may be monitored by operational modules
in panel box 382 and may be used to estimate the flow of permeate
stream 105 into storage zone 359. Based on the known or measured
geological characteristics of storage zone 359, the speed of pump
450 or pump 460 may be the modulated, i.e. adjusted, to achieve a
flow rate of stream 105 appropriate for storage zone 359. This
control of pumps 450, 460 may be achieved by a module in panel box
382. In some embodiments may include flow sensors and pressure
sensors, for example, to monitor and govern the flow of permeate
stream 105 into storage zone 359.
[0053] A second portion of the feed water 103 continues, following
a second path to exit filter 110, carrying along the salts or other
constituents remaining from the now-separated permeate stream 105
and becoming the concentrated fluid stream or reject stream 107.
The concentrated fluid stream 107 is drawn into lower pump 460 and
discharged through fluid outlet 106, travelling through
perforations 64, and into discharge zone 358 within the earth. The
flow of reject stream 107 increases the pore pressure of discharge
zone 358 around wellbore 352 causing a net flow of fluid away from
wellbore 352 and increasing the flow of production fluid 369 from
production zone 370 into wellbore 362 and ultimately into tank 366
of production well 360, at least in some circumstances. The
increased flow of production fluid 369 is the enhanced oil recovery
effect.
[0054] Desalination assembly 400 of water production system 50 is
driven by electrical energy supplied by electrical cable 375. In a
simple embodiment, desalination assembly 400 does not purposefully
communicate other information signals with surface equipment 80.
Some other embodiments of unit 400 include instrumentation or
control equipment that exchange power or data signals with surface
equipment 80, as previously described for water production system
100.
[0055] Additional embodiments and possible operational conditions
of a fluid production system or a filtering assembly consistent
with the present disclosure will be considered here.
[0056] Referring again to FIG. 1, if the water in supply zone 56 or
if a fluid (e.g. the feed water 103) in wellbore 52 or casing 60
extends above the permeate outlet 104 of assembly 100, the
resulting hydrostatic head pressure may help drive the feed water
103 through desalination assembly 100, assisting the production of
permeate stream 105. In some embodiments or for some operational
conditions, a fluid pressure differential between the supply zone
56 and the discharge zone 58 may help drive the feed water 103
through desalination assembly 100, reducing or eliminating the use
of the energy by motor 82 for pumps 150, 160. For example, the
pressure differential may be due to pore pressure of fluid in
supply zone 56. In FIG. 1, the elevation difference between zones
56, 58 develops a pressure differential due to hydrostatic head
pressure. In addition, the concentrated fluid stream 107 will have
a higher density than the feed water 103 from zone 56 during normal
operation, and in some situations, the concentrated fluid stream
107 will have a higher density than the ground water that may
occupy the discharge zone 58, either situation further encouraging
the downward movement of stream 107. In some embodiments, the
concentrated fluid pump 160 is configured to be driven by the
pressure differential between earthen zones 56, 58 that fluidically
communicate with the wellbore 52, and fluid pump 160 may recover
potential energy as a result. When available, the recovered energy
may, for example, drive or help to drive the permeate pump 150.
Similarly, some embodiments or some operational conditions of fluid
production system 350 of FIG. 4 may produce a similar benefit due
to a pressure differential between supply zone 356 and filter
outlet 104 or between zones 356, 358. In some embodiments, a pump
460 is configured to be driven by the pressure differential in the
wellbore 325, acting like an electrical generator, reducing or
eliminating the net use of the energy from power supply 384, and in
some instances the energy recovered by pump 460 may drive the
permeate pump 450.
[0057] In some embodiments, a gearbox is coupled between
interconnecting shaft 180 and pumps 150, 160, and the gear box
establishes a differential speed ratio for the pumps or causes one
pump to rotate in the opposite direction of the other pump. In
embodiments wherein the two pumps (e.g. pumps 150, 160) are
configured to rotate in opposite directions, the rotor and stator
pairs of the pumps 150, 160 are again selected to achieve a
constant, fixed pumping ratio relative to one another, as
previously described. In such embodiments, the rotor and stator
pairs of both pumps may be either right-handed pairs or both
left-handed pairs.
[0058] Referring still to FIG. 1, some embodiments may include
another type of filter in addition to the RO filter 110 to achieve
multi-stage filtration. For example, a pre-treatment filter capable
of removing solid particles may be fluidically coupled in the flow
path prior to the RO filter 110. To achieve another desired
filtering effect, some other embodiments include another type of
filter as the filter 110 and do not include an RO filter. Other
types of filters or filtration technologies include, for example, a
micro-filtration treatment module, a nano-filtration treatment
module, a candlestick filter, and a simple fiber filter. The
function or definition of some of these categories may over-lap.
Some embodiments include a filter configured to produce a softened
or cleaned brine product, a water-based fluid having less
contamination, including a lower or a selected salt concentration.
Using a softened brine product in drilling mud is advantageous when
drilling through various formations or at least formations having
clay. Whereas fresh water in drilling mud can cause the clay to
swell and grip the drill pipe or drill bit, a properly selected
softened brine product does not cause clay to swell, at least in
some instances. Using a nano-filtration treatment module without an
RO filter is an example of filtering technology that may be
incorporated within a filtering assembly for a water production
system 50 to produce a softened brine product. The resulting
filtering assembly may have a configuration similar to desalination
assembly 100, except the replacement of the RO filter with the
nano-filtration treatment module.
[0059] Depending on the type of pumps chosen, in some embodiments,
a check valve is positioned in series with production tubing 70 to
prevent backflow of processed water through a desalination assembly
100, 400 when the two pumps are not operating. Referring to FIG. 2,
in some embodiments, interconnecting shaft 180 of desalination
assembly 100 passes through end cap 128 of filter 110 and passes
through rotary seal 178, being sealed by rotary seal 178, and
extends to rotor 164 of concentrated fluid pump 160, without the
inclusion of a separate coupler shaft 176 in discharge coupler
170.
[0060] Although, the disclosure has primarily described the
purification of feed water taken from a zone within the earth,
other fluid sources may be used with various embodiments. Other
potential feed-fluids or feed streams for the process include, for
example, ground water (i.e. water located above the surface of the
earth) or a process waste stream from an industrial process.
Although, the disclosure has primarily described a saline component
as a contaminant in the feed stream, other potential contaminants
that may be removed include various organic as well as various
inorganic compounds. For various embodiments, examples of removable
contaminants include alcohol and sugar.
[0061] In some embodiments, a filtering assembly, e.g. desalination
assembly 100, is positioned above-ground and is configured to
receive a process waste stream, to produce a permeate stream 105
having water with improved purity, and to pump a concentrated fluid
stream into a disposal well. In some embodiments, the concentrated
fluid stream may be a desirable product, and this product that may
be, for example, feed to a process configured to recover a salt
slurry or solid salt.
[0062] Based on the teachings herein, it will be possible to
combine one or more features of one described embodiment with one
or more features of another described embodiment to form yet an
additional embodiment of a fluid production system. For example,
the recovery of cleaned fluid stream 105 to an above ground
location, as is shown in FIG. 1 for fluid production system 50, may
be implemented by an embodiment having the desalination assembly
400. As another example, referring to FIG. 4, although fluid
production system 350 was described as having desalination assembly
400 having electrically driven pumps 450, 460 coupled to surface
equipment 380 by electrical cable 375, some embodiments that store
water in a subterranean reservoir 359 or provide enhanced oil
recovery for a nearby producing well 362 include a shaft-driven
desalination assembly 100 coupled to an above-ground motor 82. Some
embodiments store water in a subterranean reservoir 359 without
participating in enhanced oil recovery.
[0063] Referring to features of FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, in some
embodiments, a fluid production system includes an extension shaft
75, as exemplified in FIG. 1, extending from a permeate pump 150 to
a source of rotational power disposed adjacent the surface of the
earth. The source of rotational power includes, for example, a
motor 82 coupled to the extension shaft and a motor controller
electrically coupled to motor 82. Similar to FIG. 4, the fluid
production system further includes a concentrated fluid pump 460
that includes a submersible electrical motor electrically coupled
to a separate motor controller or to another module in the first
motor controller.
[0064] In some embodiments, one or both pumps 150, 160 is not a
positive displacement pump. In some embodiments, one or both pumps
450, 460 is not a positive displacement pump. For example, a pump
150, 160, 450, 460 may be a vertical turbine pump rather than a
positive displacement pump. When a pump 150, 160 is not a positive
displacement pump, the pumping ratio between pumps 450, 460, which
have a common rotational speed, may vary based on pressure and flow
conditions at various locations in and around the wellbore. The
pumping ratio between pumps 450, 460, for example, may be
dynamically maintained by a motor controller coupled to flow meters
that monitor the discharge of each pump. The pumping ratio between
pumps 450, 460 may be constant or may be adjusted based on target
parameters or operational conditions. After an adjustment, a new
constant pumping ratio may be maintained for a period of time or
indefinitely. As with any embodiment, the pumping ratio may be
adjusted for the purpose of reducing the possibility of solid
deposits, scale building-up on the filter membrane or may be
adjusted in the opposite direction to increase the recovery ratio
if the possibility of such scale build-up is thought to be less
likely.
[0065] As presented in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, desalination assemblies
100, 400 have no pressure control device, such as a back-pressure
regulator, an adjustable valve, or an orifice coupled to a
concentrated fluid outlet 106, 146 to govern flow rate of the
concentrated fluid stream 107, which influences the recovery ratio,
i.e. the ratio of the flow rate of permeate stream 105 to the flow
rate of feed water 103. Instead, the concentrated fluid pump 160,
460, respectively, governs the flow rate of the concentrated fluid
stream 107 that passes through the concentrated fluid outlets 106,
146. Therefore, the concentrated fluid pump influences or modulates
the recovery ratio of filter 110 and the desalination assembly 100,
400. Stated more completely, the pumping ratio between concentrated
fluid pump 160 and permeate pump 150 or between concentrated fluid
pump 460 and permeate pump 450 modulates or governs, at least in
part, the recovery ratio of filter 110. Some other embodiments
include a pressure control device fluidically coupled (i.e. coupled
for fluid communication) to a concentrated fluid outlet 146, 106 to
modulate or to govern, at least in part, the recovery ratio.
[0066] In some embodiments, a water production system similar to
water production system 350 is configured to discharge selectively
the permeate stream 105 into storage zone 359 or to deliver
selectively permeate stream 105 to another location, such as above
the surface of the earth. Such an embodiment may include an
extension of production tubing 70 through the third packing member
395 with tubing 70 having a permeate first discharge port 72
between packing members 395, 390, as in FIG. 4, and a permeate
second discharge port 72 above surface, as in FIG. 1. A valve
coupled to tubing 70 selectively allows permeate stream 105 to pass
through the first or through the second discharge port 72 or allow
a portion of permeate stream 105 to pass through each of the first
and the second discharge ports 72.
[0067] As shown for water production system 350 in FIG. 4, so also
for some embodiments of water production system 50, the production
tubing 70 has distance between the lower end 71 and the permeate
discharge port 72 that is less than a selected depth for the
filtering assembly 100, configuring the tubing permeate discharge
port 72 to be subterranean when the system is installed in a
wellbore at the selected depth.
[0068] Although FIG. 1 shows discharge zone 58 located at a lower
elevation than supply zone 56 for system 100, in some other
implementations or embodiments discharge zone 58 may be at a higher
elevation than supply zone 56. In various other implementations or
embodiments of system 350, the relative elevations of zones 356,
358, 359 may be different that shown in FIG. 4.
[0069] While exemplary embodiments have been shown and described,
modifications thereof can be made by one of ordinary skill in the
art without departing from the scope or teachings herein. The
embodiments described herein are exemplary only and are not
limiting. Many variations and modifications of the systems,
apparatus, and processes described herein are possible and are
within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of
protection is not limited to the embodiments described herein, but
is only limited by the claims that follow, the scope of which shall
include all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims. The
inclusion of any particular method step or operation within the
written description or a figure does not necessarily indicate that
the particular step or operation is necessary to the method. Unless
expressly stated otherwise, the steps or operations listed in a
description of a method or in a method claim may be performed in
any order, and in some implementations two or more of the method
steps or operations may be performed in parallel, rather than
serially.
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